Machine for tamping dry-cell cartridges and the like



Oct. 7, 1924.

H. DE OLANETA MACHINE FOR TAMPING DRY CELL CARTRIDGES AND THE LIKE FiledJune 18. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. DE OLANETA MACHINE TAMPING DRY CELL;CARTRIDGES AND THE LIKE Filed June 1'8 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jn M 0a. 7 1924.1,510,835 H. DE vOLANETA MACHINE FOR TAMPING DRY wCELL CARTRIDGES ANDTHE LIKE Filed June 18,1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Get. 7 1924 H. DE OLANETAMACX II NE FOR TAMPING DRY CELL CARTRIDGES AND THE LIKE Filed June 18.1920 4 Sheer.s-Shet 4 Patented Get. '7, 1924 HARGLT) DE OLANETA, OF NEWHAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS COMFANY, 075'NEW HAVEN, CQNNEGTICUT, A. GORFORATXON OF CONNECTICUT.

MACHINE F012 TAMPING DRY-CELL CARTRIDGES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed. June 18, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD DEOLANETA, a citizen of the United States,residing in New Haven, New Haven County, Connecticut, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Tamping Dry-CellCartridges and the like, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

This invention relates primarily to the manufacture of dry cells and ithas special reference to a machine for tamping depolarizing materialabout an electrode, such as a carbon pencil, so as to form a body orcartridge adhering to the pencil. The inven tion also has particularreference to a machine adapted for the carrying into practice of themethod described and claimed in my companion application, Serial No.390,020 filed June 18, 1920.

lVhile one of the primary objects of the invention is to furnish animproved machine for tamping the depolarizing material or so-calleddepolarizing mix about the carbon electrode so that it will adhere tothe same in the form of a compact but spongy body or mass that ispractically integral with the pencil, it will be obvious that theinvention is of broad application and is not in all its aspects limitedto a device for forming a dry cell cartridge in the manner described.

Another object which I have in view is the provision of a machine whichis well adapted to the manufacture of dry cells of the type in which itis desirable to maintain a certain, definite distance between the top ofthe depolarizing body and the upper ertremity of the carbon pencil.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a machine whereby themoist, finely divided depolarizing material can be readily andconveniently tamped in place relatively to a carbon pencil or other partof the battery cell.

Still another object is to furnish a machine whereby the tamping can beso carried out as to protect the projecting end of the electrode frombreakage during the tamping o eration and to keep such projecting ent ofthe electrode clear of adhering depolarizing material, which would havea prejudicial effect.

To these and other ends the invention Serial No. 390,021.

plunger;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 88 of Fig. 7;

F ig. 9 is a 'detailelevation of the die block;

Fig. 10 is a detail of the spacing block;

Fig. 11 is a vertical section of certain parts, on a larger scale,showing the com mencement of the tampingoperation;

Fig. 12 is a similar view showing a later stage of the operation;

Fig. 13 shows the'cart-ridgeand spacing block removed from the die afterthe completion of the tamping; and

Fig. 14 is a detail of the cartridge after, the spacing block has beenremoved from around the projecting end of the electrode.

The machine selected for illustration comprises a base 20 havingsupporting legs 21. On top of the base are parallel guide rods 22 risingtherefrom. These rods may be conveniently made of metal. Mounted on therods, adjacent their lower ends but at some distance above the top ofthe base 20, is a table 23, which receives the depolarizing material.This material is usually finely divided and may consist of an intimatemixture of manganese dioxid and graphite, moistened, for example. withav solution of electrolyte material such as ammonium chlorid. The tableispreferably enclosed at the sides and ends so that a fairly largeamount of the depolarizing material may be stored thereon withoutlikelihood of being spilled on the floor, and in the form shown, thereis a fairly high wall 24 extending up from the table at its rear edge,also front and end walls 25 of less height. Associated with the table isa suitable die 26, wherein the depolarizing material is tamped about thecarbon pencil 27 shown in Figs. 11 and Above the die 26 a co-operating aFig. 7 1s a detail elevation of the tamping plunger 28 shown in. detailin Figs. 7 and 8. This plunger is removably secured as by means of a setscrew 29 in a socket at the lower end of a vertically sliding crossheador gate 30 mounted on the guide members In the present embodiment, thehead 30 consists of a heavy plate of metal having guide clips 31 at thecorners thereof embracing the guide rods. This head, which is ofappropriate weight for the tamping operation to be effected, may beraised. and lowered in any convenient manner. In the case illustrated,it may be raised by means of a leather or canvas strap 32 passing over apulley 33 and having a loop at at its lower end. adapted to be graspedby the hand of the operator. The operator pulls down on the strap 32 inorder to elevate the head 30 and thereby the plunger 28, and the head isthen allowed to fall by gravity, carrying the plunger 28 into the diemember 2t of table for tamping the material about the electrode pencil.

The die member 26 is preferably constructed in two parts, there being anouter part or block 26 (Fig. 9) of wood or steel, for example, and asuitable non-corrosive and smooth lining 26 of hard rubber, porcelain orthe like. The die opening proper is constituted by the inner,cylindrical surface of the lining member 26". The die member 26 issuitably supported in the upper end of an arm or standard 35 rising fromthe base or body 20. At its upper end the member 26 has a shoulder 36,which fits within an opening 37 in the bottom of table 23, the uppersurfaces of the member 26, the member 26, and the bottom board of thetable, being substantially flush with each other so as to present asmooth surface over which the depolarizing material may be convenientlypushed or scraped in order to carry it into the die opening. The member26 is supported upon the laterally projectin upper end of the standardwhich has an opening therein that receives the body pertion of member 26the shoulder 36 of the die member resting on the upper surface of thestandard around the opening in the latter. The lining member 26* issecured in the block 26 in any convenient manner, which it is notnecessary to illustrate in de tail. The standard 35 may be secured tothe rear part of the body 20 by screws 38, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

Interp'osed between the table 23 and the body 20 and shiftable in ahorizontal plane with regard to the frame of the machine, is a suitablesupporting member 39, which is adapted to constitute the bottom of thedie. In the form shown, this member 39 is a cylindrical block mounted toswing in a horizontal plane, the same being carried by an elbow lever 40pivoted to the base 20 at 4.1, and having an operating extension with ahandle 43 easily accessible at the front of the machine. The block 39also carries directly a manipulating handle 44- projecting later llytherefrom. The lever 40 is extended around one of the guide rods 22, asshown in Fig. t. The block .9 is

secured to the lever 40 by a screw 45 passing through a threaded socketin the block into engagement at its inner end with the end portion oflever to, as shown in Fig. 4C. The block 39 is adapted to be swung inrelatively to the machine frame so as to carry the block directlybeneath the die opening, as shown by the full lines in Fig. 4, and to beswung out from vertical alinement with the, die opening, as indicated bythe dotted lines in Fig. t. In order to provide an adjustable stop forlimiting the rearward move ment of the block 39, a limiting screw as maybe set in a threaded. socket L7 in stand ard so that its head will beengaged by the block 39 when the latter is in the desired positionbeneath. the die in table 23. Move n'ient of the block 39 in theopposite direction is also limited, by preference, and for this purposethe head of screw 45 may make contact with a stop pin 48 on the bed.

The plunger 28, which is shown in de nail in Figs. 7 and S, is ofgenerally cylindrical shape and its lower part is sleeve like in form,having a bore to receive the electrode pencil 27. It is preferred inpractice to make the plunger 28 of two sections, the lower section 28being constructed of hard rubber. This portion has a bore 28 therein.The upper section 28 of the plunger be conveniently made of metal. Atone side o the plunger the has a lateral opening or window 28, which isin communication with the upper end of. the bore 28, thus permitting thelateral ejection of ma terial froin the plunger, as hereinafter described. The bottom portion of the plunger usually made of hard rubber,porcelain. or sin'iilar material, so that it will not be affected by thechemicals in the depolarizing mix, and preferably the whole lining ofthe bore 23 will be of. the same material. The outer sin-face of theplunger is smooth and adapted to conform closely to the cylindr calinner surface of the lining member 26 of the die. 7

The particular kind of material used for the dcpolariying mix is notimportant so far as the present invention is concerned, but it may beassumed for purposes of. description that the mix comprises, say, 36units of powdered manganese dioxid and 12 units of finely dividedgraphite. these two ingredients being mixed together as intimatel aspossible to form a homogeneous, powdery mass. The mass may be moistenedwith a suitable electrolyte material such as an am-- moniuin cl'iloridsolution of appropriate density. The moist mix is dumped upon lit) thetable 23 for tamping into the die around the carbon pencil 27. Beforethe carbon pencil is placed in the die, however, a spacing member 49 isplaced about one end of the same, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. Thisspacing member may be conveniently formed of wood or rubber or othermaterial. which will not be affected by the mix, and it is preferably inthe form of a cylindrical block having a central opening adapted to fitsnugly over the pencil. The upper and lower surfaces of the block areflat and the distance between them is equal to the distance which it isdesired to maintain between the top surface of the cartridge and the topsurface of the pencil. The height of the die opening is approximatelyequal to the length of the pencil. The spacing block 49 is located inthe bottom part of the die opening so as to center the pencil therein,the pencil and block being introduced into the die opening through thebottom of the latter, the supporting block 39 being shifted out of theway for that purpose. After the pencil and block have been located inthe die, the block 39 is shifted back so as to form the bottom of thedie. It then engages the bottom of the spacing block 49 and the lowerextremity of the pencil and supports these parts in the die. v

A quantity of the depolarizing mix on the table is next scraped orpulled over the die opening so as to fill the space therein above thespacing block 49 and around the pencil, as shown in Fig..11, the mixbeing heaped up somewhat over the mouth of the die opening. The plunger28 is then brought down by gravity or otherwise into the die opening ashereinbefore described. This plunger tamps the material around thepencil against thespacing block, as will be understood. The materialwhich is located between the upperend of the pencil and the lower end ofthe plunger is permitted to pass up into the bore 28 and to escapelaterally from the plunger through the window 28 In practice. theplunger is brought down into the die opening several times, say, threeor four times, until the desired. amount of. material has been packed.into the die opening. It will. be understood that after the firstdescent of the plunger, the same is raised and then additional materialis piled over the mouth of the die and heapednp as before, and thisprocess is repeated until sufficient material has been tamped in place.lVhen this has been brought about, the supporting block 39 is shifted tothe inoperative position so as to permit the removal of the cartridgeand spacing block from the die. In case these parts tend to stick in thedie opening, the plunger 28 may be used as an e1ector for moving thecartridge out through the bottom of the die opening. When the pencilwith its adhering body of mix is taken out of the die, the spacing block49 is still in place, as indicated in Fig. 13. The spacing block is thenremoved from the lower end of the pencil (which becomes the upper end inthe battery) and the cartridge in then ready to be covered with a fabricenvelope, in case such an envelope is to be used.

It will be seen that with my new machine as herein described, thecartridge is tamped while in an inverted position, that portion which iseventually to form the top of the cartridge being tamped in place first.In other words, the operation of tamping is begun at the top of thecartridge and is finished at what becomes the bottom of the cartridge.This procedure, with the employment of the spacing block associatedwiththe outwardly projecting part of the pencil, reduces to a minimumthe breakage of the projecting pencil ends, and it also keeps the endsof the pencils clean, as the depolarizing material is. prevented fromcontacting with and adhering to the same.

Various changes may be made in the de tails of the construction withoutdeparting from the scope of my invention as defined in the claims.

What I claim is:

1; Apparatus for tamping dry cell cartridge's, comprising a die, asleeve-like reciprocating tamping plunger cooperating therewith, and;means for successively reciprocating said plunger to pack depolarizingmaterial about an electrode pencil.

2. Apparatus for tamping dry cell cartridges, comprising a die open atthe top and bottom, means for closing off the die at one end, asleeve-like tamping plunger movable into the other end of the die, andmeans for successively reciprocating said plunger to pack depolarizingmaterial about an lectrode pencil.

3. In apparatus such as described. a die open at the top and bottom, ashiftable member for closing the die at the bottom, said membersupporting a pencil centering device within said die, and a plungermovable into the die from above to cause successive tamping uponmaterial in said die 4. In apparatus such as described, a die open atthe top. and bottom, a laterally shiftable member adapted to close offthe die, and a sleevelike tamping plunger movable into and out of thedie to successively tamp material as received into the opening in saiddie.

5. In apparatus such as described. a sta tionary die member having athrough opening, a laterally shiftable block adapted to close off thedie opening at one end. and a sleevelike tamping plunger adapted to bemoved into and out of the die at the other end to successively tammaterial as received in the opening in said die.

6. In a dry cell cartridge tamping machine, a die, means in the die tosupport and center an electrode pencil, and a. tamping plunger adaptedto conform to said pens oil and having an opening for the ejection ofthe surplus of the material added during the tamping operation.

'7. In a machine for tamping dry cell cartridges, a die, and asleevelike reciprocating tamping plunger cooperating with the die andhaving a lateral opening through which a portion of the material isejected during the tamping operation.

8. In a machine for tamping dry cell cartridges ot the type in which abody of depolarizing material surrounds and adheres to a carbon pencil,a die, means therein to center a pencil and a slecvelike plungercooperating with the die and having a central opening adapted to conformto a pencil within the die, said plunger being provided with a lateralopening for the ejection of the surplus of the material added during thetamping operation.

9. In a machine of the character described, means for positioning anelectrode pencil within a suitable space with a spacing member enclosingone end, means providing for the introduction of material into the spacearound the pencil, and guided means for successively tamping thematerial against the spacing member and about the pencil.

10.111 a machine of the character described, a die, means for enclosingone end portion of an electrode pencil to center it within the die,means for successively tamping depolarizing material as added around theremainder of the pencil, and means to guide said member in its movement.

11. In a machine of the cl'iaracter de scribed, a die, means forpositioning an elec trode pencil within the die, means "for suecessivelytamping material as added about. such pencil, and operating means forsaid tamping means.

12. In a machine of the character described, a die, means forpositioning an electrode pencil therein, a reciprocating member andmeans carried thereby tor successively tamping material as added aroundthe pencil to form a uniformly packed mass adhering to the pencil.

13. In a machine of the character described, means for positioning anelectrode pencil with one end enclosed, and means for successivelytamping material as added about the pencil to form a body adhering tothe same.

14. In apparatus such as described, means for positioning an electrodepencil with one end enclosed and pointing downwardly, and means forsuccessively tamping material as added about the remaining portion otthe pencil.

15. In a machine such as described, means for positioning an electrodepencil with one end enclosed and a sleevelike plunger adapted to conformto the pencil and to successively tamp the material as added about theremaining portion thereof.

16. In a machine or the character de scribed, a die, means within thedie to enclose and center one end portion of an electrode pencil, meansto close one end of the die and to support said pencil enclosing andcentering means mounted under the other end of the die, and means tosaicc'essivel tamp material as received in said die about said pencil.

17. In a machine of the character described, a die having an openingtherethrough, means to position an electrode pencil centrally within theopening in the die, means to close the opening in said die at the bottomand to support said pencil positioning means, and means to successivelytamp material as received into the opening at the upper end of said dieabout and into close contact with the pencil held therein.

18. In a machine of the character described, a die having an openingthere through, means to position within the opening thereof an electrodepencil, an impertorate; member closing the lower end of the opening andsupporting said pencil positioning means, and a hollow tamping plungercooperating therewith at the other end of the opening, adapted tosuccessively tamp material received in said die about said pencil.

19. In a machine of the character described, a die having an opening inwhich a carbon pencil may be positioned, an imperforate shiftable memberto close the lower end of the die to support said pencil, and a hollowreciprocating tamping plunger co-operating therewith through the otherend of the opening, to successively tamp material received in said dieabout said pencil, to cause the same to adhere to said pencil.

20. In a machine of the character de scribed, a die having an opening,means within said opening for positioning an elec trode pencil, animp'erforate shittable member to close the lower end of the opening andto support said pencil positioning means and said pencil, and a hollowtamping plunger reciprocably mounted above the die and cooperatingtherewith through the upper end of the opening therein, said plungeradapted to successively tamp material received in said die about saidpencil, to cause the materialto adhere to said pencil, said positioningmeans spacing the material so tamped from one end of said pencil. V r

21. In a machine of the character described, a die having an openingthere through, means to position an electrode pencil centrally Withinthe opening in the die, means to close the opening in said die at thebottom and to support said pencil positioning means, and means to successively tamp material as received into the opening at the upper end ofsaid die about and into close contact with the pencil held therein, saidpositioning means being adapted to enclose one end of the pencil and tospace the tamped material from the enclosed end thereof. g

22. In'a machine of the character described, a. die having an openingtherethrough, means to position an electrode pencil centrally Within theopening in the die, means to close the opening in said die at the bottomand to support said pencil and pencil positioning means, and mean-s tosuccessively tamp material as received into the opening at the upper endof said die-aboutand into close contact with the pencil held therein,said positioning means being adapted to enclose one end of the penciland to space the tamped material from the enclosed end thereof, saidopening closure means being movable to allow the expulsion of saidpositioning means and said pencil with the tamped material there about,from the opening in said die.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on the 16th day of June,1920. HAROLD on OLANETA.

